Niigata (新潟市, Niigata-shi^?) is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is on the Sea of Japan coast on Honshū, the largest island of Japan to face Sado Island over the sea. For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... Map of the regions of Japan. ... Chubu region, Japan Mount Fuji is the ChÅ«bu regions most famous landmark. ... The prefectures of Japan are the countrys 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one metropolis (都 to), Tokyo; one circuit (道 dō), Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures (府 fu), Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures (県 ken). ... Niigata Prefecture ) is located on HonshÅ« island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix bakko Salix barrattiana... For other uses, see Flower (disambiguation). ... Species See text Tulip (Tulipa) is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Liliaceae. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... A city ) is a local administrative unit in Japan. ... Niigata Prefecture ) is located on HonshÅ« island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. ... The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, Korea and Russia. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Sado, Niigata. ...

Following the Meiji Restoration it became a free port. Niigata was elevated to a city from a town in 1889, and on April 1, 2007 it became the first government-designated city on the Japan Sea coast of Honshū. The Meiji Restoration ), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japans political and social structure. ... A free port (porto franco) or free zone (US: Foreign-Trade Zone) is a port or area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location. ... A position of each city designated by government ordinance A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is...

History

People have inhabited the Niigata area since the Jōmon period. According to the Nihonshoki, a fortress was built in the area in AD 647; however, the area did not rise in importance until the 16th century when a port was built there. The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Jomon Period. ... Nihonshoki (Japanese: 日本書紀), sometimes translated as Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. ...

Niigata prospered as a port town and became one of the five ports that were open for international trade in the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1868. The Ryōsen-ji Temple in Shimoda, where the Treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed. ...

Niigata was one of the four cities besides Hiroshima, Kokura, and Nagasaki picked as a target for the atomic bomb if Japan did not surrender during World 2. But fortunately was spared because of its bad weather and Kokura was bombed instead. Kokura (小倉) is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding, via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound Sanyo Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR Kyūshū and...

In 1929, the Bandai Bridge was built across the Shinano River to connect the settlements of Niigata on the east and Nuttari on the west, turning the Bandai area into the city center that it remains today. The Bandai Bridge ) is a bridge crossing the Shinano River in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan via Route 7. ... The Shinano River (信濃川 Shinanogawa) is a river which flows from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture in Japan. ...

A view of Niigata City and Shinano River from observation deck of Niigata Prefecture Building.

In 1950 construction of Niigata Station was completed, extending the downtown area from the Bandai Bridge. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 485 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1570 pixel, file size: 552 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 485 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1570 pixel, file size: 552 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... View of the station from the Bandai exit Niigata Station ) is a train station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ...

On 16 June 1964 1:23pm Japan Standard Time, (0423 UT same day) an earthquake of 7.5 Richter scale struck the city, killing 29 people and causing large-scale property damage, with 1,960 totally destroyed buildings, 6,640 partially destroyed and 15,298 severely inundated by liquefaction^[1]. An Imperial Ordinance issued on December 27, Meiji 28 (1895) Japan Standard Time (日本標準時 or 中央標準時) is the standard timezone in Japan that is 9 hours ahead of UTC; i. ... Universal Time (UT) is a timescale based on the rotation of the Earth. ... The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude ML scale, assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. ... Earthquake liquefaction, often referred to simply as liquefaction, is the process by which saturated, unconsolidated soil or sand is converted into a suspension during an earthquake. ...

In 1965 the Agano River running through Niigata was polluted with methylmercury from the chemical plant of the Showa Electrical Company. Upwards of 690 people exhibited symptoms of Minamata disease and the outbreak became known as Niigata Minamata disease. The Agano River (阿賀野川, Aganogawa) is a river which flows from Fukushima Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture in Japan. ... Methylmercury (sometimes methyl mercury), an organometallic cation with the formula [CH3Hg]+. It is a bioaccumulative environmental toxin. ... Shōwa Denkō K. K. (昭和電工) is a Japanese chemical company. ... Minamata disease ), sometimes referred to as Chisso-Minamata disease ), is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. ... Main article: Minamata disease Niigata Minamata disease ) is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. ...

Big Swan Stadium hosted three games during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Niigata Big Swan Stadium is a football stadium in Niigata, Japan. ... Qualifying countries The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. ...

The 2004 Chūetsu earthquake did not hurt the city itself significantly and it worked as a relief base. The ChÅ«etsu Earthquakes ) began at 5:56 p. ...

After a series municipal mergers over a four year period between 2001 and 2005, Niigata became a government-designated city on April 1, 2007. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A position of each city designated by government ordinance A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is...

The size and the population of Niigata city increased over a four year period between 2001 and 2005 after three successful mergers. On April 1, 2007, it became first city on the Japan Sea coast on Honshū to become a government-designated city. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A position of each city designated by government ordinance A city designated by government ordinance (a designated city or Government Ordinance City (Japanese: 政令指定都市 seirei shitei toshi or 政令市 seirei shi)) is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000; has important economic and industrial functions; and that is...

In July 2007, another earthquake, measuring 6.9 on Richter scale rocked Niigata prefecture, but the city was not overly affected.

Climate

The most remarkable feature of the climate in Niigata city in winter is its high humidity brought with the Northeast wind along the Sea of Japan. While many other parts of Niigata Prefecture tend to have heavy snow, Niigata city itself usually has somewhat less due to its elevation. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in air. ...

In summer, on the other hand, the south wind makes the weather rather hot. Typhoons usually bring strong Föhn winds to this area, usually causing somewhat higher temperatures than in other parts of Japan. Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004 Hurricane and Typhoon redirect here. ... A föhn wind or foehn wind occurs when a deep layer of prevailing wind is forced over a mountain range (Orographic lifting). ...

Geography

A view of Niigata out the window from Hotel Rich.

Willow-lined Streets of Niigata

Niigata is situated on a fertile coastal plain on the Sea of Japan coast, facing Sado Island. The Shinano River and Agano River flow through the city. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x1792, 260 KB) Summary A view out the window of Hotel Rich in Niigata. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x1792, 260 KB) Summary A view out the window of Hotel Rich in Niigata. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... In geography, a coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. ... The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, Korea and Russia. ... This article addresses both the city of Sado and Sado Island Sado (佐渡市, -shi) is a city located on Sado Island (佐渡島 or 佐渡ヶ島, both Sadogashima) in the Chubu region of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ... The Shinano River (信濃川 Shinanogawa) is a river which flows from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture in Japan. ... The Agano River (阿賀野川, Aganogawa) is a river which flows from Fukushima Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture in Japan. ...

The city is sometimes called the "City of Water"(水の都 Mizu-no-miyako) because of the two rivers that flow through it, its position next to the Japan Sea, and the canals that used to run through the city. It is also sometimes referred to as the "City of Willows"(柳の都 Yanagi-no-miyako or 柳都 Ryuto) because of the willow trees that lined the old canals.

Wards

Niigata has been made up of wards (ku) since 1 April,2007 :Map A ku (区), translated as ward, is a district in a large Japanese city. ...

<Niigata City Kita-ku ) of the administrative districts in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ... <Niigata City Higashi-ku ) of the administrative districts in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ... <Niigata City Chūō-ku ) of the administrative districts in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ... <Niigata City Kōnan-ku )of the administrative districts in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ... <Niigata City Akiha-ku )is an administrative district in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City that shifted to the government-designated major city on April 1, 2007. ... <Niigata City Minami-ku )is an administrative district in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ... <Niigata City Nishi-ku )is an administrative district in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ... <Niigata City Nishikan-ku )is an administrative district in Niigata Prefecture Niigata City. ...

Adjoining communities

From the north, following Niigata's border clockwise: A clockwise motion is one that proceeds like the clocks hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back to the top. ...

Seir&#333; (&#32854;&#31840;&#30010;; -machi) is a town located in Kitakanbara District, Niigata, Japan. ... Kitakanbara (&#21271;&#33970;&#21407;&#37089;; -gun) is a district located in Niigata, Japan. ... Shibata (&#26032;&#30330;&#30000;&#24066;; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... Agano (&#38463;&#36032;&#37326;&#24066;, -shi) is a city located in Japan. ... Gosen (&#20116;&#27849;&#24066;; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... Tagami (&#30000;&#19978;&#30010;; -machi) is a town located in Minamikanbara District, Niigata, Japan. ... Minamikanbara (&#21335;&#33970;&#21407;&#37089;; -gun) is a district located in Niigata, Japan. ... Kamo (加茂市; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan, roughly halfway between the two larger cities of Nagaoka and Niigata City. ... Sanj&#333; (&#19977;&#26465;&#24066;; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... Tsubame (燕市; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... Yahiko (&#24357;&#24422;&#26449;; -mura) is a village located in Nishikanbara District, Niigata, Japan. ... Nishikanbara (&#35199;&#33970;&#21407;&#37089;; -gun) is a district located in Niigata, Japan. ... Nagaoka (&#38263;&#23713;&#24066;; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... This article addresses both the city of Sado and Sado Island Sado (佐渡市, -shi) is a city located on Sado Island (佐渡島 or 佐渡ヶ島, both Sadogashima) in the Chubu region of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ...

Sister cities

Niigata maintains sister city ties with five cities: Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ...

• Galveston, Texas, United States (January 28, 1965)
• Khabarovsk, Russia (April 23, 1965)
• Harbin, China (December 17, 1979)
• Vladivostok, Russia (February 28, 1991)
• Birobidzhan, Russia (Once a sister city of Toyosaka, Niigata assumed the sister city honors on August 30, 2005)

In addition, special exchange agreements have been set up with Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom and Nantes, France. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Galveston redirects here. ... is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Government Country District Krai Russia Far Eastern Federal District Khabarovsk Krai Established 1858 Mayor Alexandr Sokolov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 372 km² Population  - City (2005) 579,000 Coordinates Other Information Postal Code 680xxx Dialing Code +7 4212 Website: www. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Peoples_Republic_of_China. ... Harbin on a map of China For other meanings of Harbin, see Harbin (disambiguation). ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Vladivostok (Russian: ) is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Sino border and North Korea. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Birobidzhan (ru: Биробиджа́н, yi: ביראָבידזשאן) is the capital of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in Russia; the name is sometimes also used to refer to the entire oblast. ... Toyosaka (&#35914;&#26628;&#24066;; -shi) is a city located in Niigata, Japan. ... Hull or Kingston upon Hull is a British city situated on the north bank of the Humber estuary. ... Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: Favet Neptunus eunti (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Pays de la Loire Department Loire-Atlantique (44) Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault  (PS) (since 1989) City Statistics Land area¹ 65. ...

Sports

Professional

• J. League (Football/Soccer)
  • Albirex Niigata play at Big Swan Stadium
• Bj league (Basketball)
  • Niigata Albirex BB play at Toki Messe

The Japan Professional Football League ), or J.LEAGUE ), is the top professional football (soccer) league in Japan and one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football. ... Albirex Niigata ) is a Japanese J. League football team. ... Niigata Big Swan Stadium is a football stadium in Niigata, Japan. ... bj league (basketball Japan league) is a professional basketball league in Japan that began on November 5, 2005, with sponsors. ... Niigata Albirex BB , The formal nomenclature is Niigata Albirex baskettoborl) is a Japanesebj league basketball team. ... Toki Messe ) is a multi-purpose international convention center located in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ...

Amateur

• Granscena Niigata FC (Football/Soccer)

Transportation

Niigata Prefecture ) is located on Honshū island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. ...

Railroad

East Japan Railway Company runs a number of stations in the Niigata urban area. The largest station in Niigata city is Niigata Station. It is centrally located in the Bandai area, one of the two main shopping districts in downtown Niigata. Approximately 37,000 passengers use the station daily. The Joetsu Shinkansen, whose last stop is Niigata Station, provides daily service to Tokyo. The Shin'etsu Line, Hakushin Line, Echigo Line, Uetsu Line, and Ban'etsu West Line are also serviced by Niigata Station. From there you can reach Kanazawa, Toyama, Aomori, Akita and Sakata. Yamanote Line, Tokyo JR Yamanote Line train in Tokyo, Japan Above Yurakucho in Tokyo East Japan Railway Company (東日本旅客鉄道 Higashi-Nihon Ryokyaku Tetsudo or JR東日本; JR Higashi-Nihon) (TYO: 9020) is a Japanese private railroad company, the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven JR companies. ... View of the station from the Bandai exit Niigata Station ) is a train station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ... Joetsu Shinkansen route Joetsu Shinkansen (上越新幹線) is a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via Tohoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ... Shinetsu Main Line ) is a set of lines operated by the East Japan Railway Company. ... The Hakushin Line ) is a Japanese rail line operated by East Japan Railway Company(JR East) that runs between Shibata and Niigata City in Niigata Prefecture. ... The Echigo Line ) is a Japanese rail line operated by East Japan Railway Company(JR East) that runs between Kashiwazaki and Niigata City in Niigata Prefecture. ... The Uetsu Main Line (羽越本線 Uetsu Honsen) is a railway in the Tohoku region of the island of Honshu, Japan. ... Kanazawa Kanazawa (&#37329;&#27810;&#24066;; -shi) is the capital city of Ishikawa in Japan. ... Toyama (&#23500;&#23665;&#24066;; -shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. ... Aomori Waterfront Aomori (青森市; Aomori-shi) is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture (青森県; Aomori-ken), the north end of Honshū. The city faces Mutsu Bay connecting Tsugaru Channel and the Hakkoda Mountains lie in the southern part of Aomori. ... Akita (秋田, autumn ricefield) is a Japanese surname and the name of serveral places. ... Sakata (&#37202;&#30000;&#24066;; -shi) is a city located in Yamagata, Japan. ...

Niigata Kotsu Dentetsu Line and Kambara Dentetsu trains used to run through the city until the late 1990s; however, they no longer exist.

Airport

Niigata Airport is placed about 15km north of central Niigata. It handles some international destinations as well as many domestic ones. The domestic destinations available are: Osaka (8 times a day), Sapporo (twice a day), Fukuoka (twice a day), Okinawa (once a day), Kobe (3 times a day), Nagoya (7 times a day) and Sado Island (3 times a day). Niigata Airport is an airport in Niigata, Japan. ... Osaka Castle (ÅŒsaka-jō) Location in Japan Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan) Osaka railway station The Osaka Tower (TsÅ«tenkaku) Osaka City   listen? (大阪市; ÅŒsaka-shi) is the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ... Sapporo redirects here. ... This article is about a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. ... Naha (Japanese: ; -shi) is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. ... Kobe ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1. ... Nagoya Castle Nagoya (名古屋市; -shi) is the fourth largest (third largest metropolitan region) and the third most prosperous city in Japan. ... This article addresses both the city of Sado and Sado Island Sado (佐渡市, -shi) is a city located on Sado Island (佐渡島 or 佐渡ヶ島, both Sadogashima) in the Chubu region of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ...

Niigata airport's international destinations are Khabarovsk (twice a week), Vladivostok (twice a week), Harbin (4 times a week), Seoul (daily), Shanghai (3 times a week) and Guam (twice a week). Government Country District Krai Russia Far Eastern Federal District Khabarovsk Krai Established 1858 Mayor Alexandr Sokolov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 372 km² Population  - City (2005) 579,000 Coordinates Other Information Postal Code 680xxx Dialing Code +7 4212 Website: www. ... Vladivostok (Russian: ) is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Sino border and North Korea. ... Harbin on a map of China For other meanings of Harbin, see Harbin (disambiguation). ... Short name Statistics Location map Map of location of Seoul. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ...

Sightseeing

Event

Cultural relation

• Niigata Manga Taisyo
• Gataket

Niigata Manga Taisyo (にいがたマンガ大賞, Niigata Manga Competition) is a Manga contest held in Niigata City. ... The Niigata Comic Market, commonly known as Gataket ), is a bimonthly dōjinshi comic book convention held in Niigata city in Japan. ...

Famous people from Niigata

Kunio Maekawa ) was a Japanese architect. ... For other uses, see Architect (disambiguation). ... Tadao Sato (佐藤忠男; born 1930) is a prominent Japanese film critic and film theorist. ... Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films. ... Film theory debates the essence of the cinema and provides conceptual frameworks for understanding films relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at large. ... Megumi Sato (born 13 September 1966 in Niigata) is a retired Japanese high jumper. ... Gold medal winner Ethel Catherwood of Canada scissors over the bar at the 1928 Summer Olympics The high jump is an athletics/track and field event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights. ...

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Niigata

• Niigata official website in Japanese
• Niigata official website in English
• Niigata (city) travel guide from Wikitravel

Niigata Prefecture
Cities
Agano | Gosen | Itoigawa | Jōetsu | Kamo | Kashiwazaki | Minamiuonuma | Mitsuke | Murakami | Myōkō | Nagaoka | Niigata (capital) | Ojiya | Sado | Sanjō | Shibata | Tainai | Tōkamachi | Tsubame | Uonuma
Districts
Higashikanbara | Iwafune | Kariwa | Kitakanbara | Kitauonuma | Minamikanbara | Minamiuonuma | Nakauonuma | Nishikanbara | Santō
See also: Towns and villages by district edit

Coordinates: 37°55′N, 139°03′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...